Four factors influence outcome

plus 'son of Crocodile Dundee', and the regular fullback produced a classic first half performance of flowing rugby from Barnes. The return to Barn Elms of Ref. Max Marsden also helped to bring about a better game. The 4-try bonus point came just after the start of the 2nd quarter; 2 more followed before halftime. The second half was a 12 - 12 draw with Guernsey giving the home team much needed practice for next week's visit to Tonbridge bashers when Barnes 1s & 2s will go to Kent together. Guernsey kept ball tight with very good retention to score 2 tries , one at 48 minutes and the last towards the end of the third quarter. Barnes last two tries were at 45 and 75 minutes. The visitors had two-thirds of the possession but only half the territory in the second half.

The Details :-

Barnes' kick-off didn't go 10 metres; from the scrum the visitors kicked towards the corner; Gower cleared this to touch back to 8 metres from halfway. From the line-out Guernsey's no. 10 created a break into the 22 then the visitors varied play through 7 phases to get a penalty 14 metres out in centre field inside 3 minutes. Fly-half Davidson kicked the points; Barnes had put in some big hits defending prior to this but Guernsey deserved their only first half score. Two kicks followed the restart then the visitors had a kick charged down before recovering to kick again. Barnes ran the ball wide but were soon penalised for not releasing. Guernsey kicked for a line-out into the other half then dropped ball when the defence forced an error. Advantage was played and centre Lewis kicked ahead and towards touch. Under pressure the visitors had a second kick charged down and lock Dumbleton picked up to touch down after 6 minutes. The conversion went wide.

Barnes secured the restart and Gower sent the ball back into the other half. The lineout was stolen and with the ball Barnes scored again. It took 9 phases with Lewis and Givens both involved twice before a step by fly-half Williams-Davies put flanker Robertson over at the posts at 10 minutes. Gower added. Barnes secured the restart and recycled twice before kicking for territory. Guernsey had another kick charged down; Barnes kept ball in hand before they too made an error. Another Guernsey error gave Barnes an attacking scrum before the defence forced a penalty. This was kicked for a line-out that was thrown not-straight. After the scrum Lewis made a break; Tiarks went further then quick ball was got wide through the hands to Wilde who scooted to the corner after 16 minutes. Barnes secured the restart then caught the visitors offside. They kicked for a line-out into the other half but the defence was good after that and got the next put-in. Henry caught his opposite number after that to win another penalty, again kicked for a line-out, now 16 metres out. The pack set for a drive which soon broke up and ball was got to Lewis who brushed aside tackles before forcing his way over near the posts early in the second quarter. Gower added again.

Barnes were penalised for a high tackle soon after the restart; Guernsey ran this, made yards and got ball wide. Barnes forced a turnover and advanced before being forced into touch. From the line-out the visitors kicked for territory then they forced a turnover. They recycled twice before getting a scrum put-in. From it they recycled and retained well without being allowed to advance to get another. Soon after that they dropped the ball to give the opposition a scrum just outside the visitors' 22. Barnes scored from that. Ball was kicked wide for wing Bevan to run onto. When it was recycled Williams-Davies went over at the corner before the half-hour. Barnes secured the restart and varied through several phases before putting the ball into touch at the opposition 22. Guernsey were penalised for not releasing son after the line-out. Barnes kicked for another line-out but threw that not-straight. Guernsey had a kick charged down but recovered and cleared to touch then forced an error from Barnes to get another scrum further up field. They recycled several times before being turned over. Barnes now recycled 3 times before kicking ahead. The ball was dropped after Guernsey ran the ball back and recycled once giving Barnes a put-in not far into the opposition half and from the scrum quick ball through the hands sent Wilde away on another long, swift run to the line for his second near the corner. A very good kick from Gower added the extras before the halftime whistle.

Guernsey's restart resulted in their line-out then a scrum followed by a penalty to Barnes. This was kicked for a line-out 26 metres from the opposition line. The ball was released from this and outside centre Tiarks made a good break. The outcome from this was another Barnes' line-out now 6 metres out and from that the pack drove over wide out with flanker Malaney on the ball after 5 minutes of the half. The conversion was wide. Barnes kicked the restart back then the visitors kept ball in hand to advance strongly and win their first penalty of the half. They kicked for a line-out into the 22 and from that recycled well with variation until opening up the defence for wing Davidson to touch down 3 minutes from the restart. The conversion was wide.

Guernsey kept possession from the restart to get another penalty. The kick took them to 27 metres from their opponents' goal line. Soon after the line-out Barnes forced an error to get the first scrum of the half then it was their turn to have a kick charged down giving the visitors a put-in at the opposition 22. More very good recycling and retention got them the third penalty. They ran this to get the fourth which they also ran but the defence quickly forced an error to get a defensive scrum 13 metres out. Guernsey were penalised at the put-in but stole the line-out after Barnes had kicked to touch at halfway. The visitors attacked again with ball in hand to get a scrum 28 metres out then from that they released wide to the blind side. Just two recycles got them their last try scored by centre Campbell before the end of the third quarter. Fly-half Davidson added the conversion. Guernsey dropped possession soon after the restart and Barnes hacked the ball onwards resulting in a 22 drop-out. A Barnes' error gave the opposition a scrum from which they broke well into the other half. A knock-on gave Barnes the next scrum but this was stolen against the head then Barnes were penalised at their 22. They ran this then the defence forced an error 9 metres out and cleared to touch, nearly to halfway.

The visitors got the next scrum after their line-out but were soon turned over and a good kick from replacement wing Westwood sent the visitors back into their 22 were they got another put-in from which they advanced to get another penalty. Now they were to lose the line-out after their touch kick but they soon recovered this by winning a turnover and made two good breaks. More recycling got them got them a penalty 16 metres out. This time they opted for a scrum and from it went blind but were forced into dropping the ball which Barnes hacked to touch outside of their 22. Guernsey were forced backwards from their line-out but did get the next put-in. They then recycled through 8 phases before being penalised for not releasing just inside the opposition 22. Barnes decided to run this; away went Lewis and another break after one recycle sent the ball through many hands to 7 metres out at the other end where after two recycles outside centre Tiarks got the last try near the posts with 5 minutes to go and Gower added. In the last minutes Barnes forced an error then passed forward in their opponents' half. After which Guernsey recycled and retained through many phases before being forced into error at the whistle.

The penalty count in the second was 2 against Guernsey, 7 against Barnes; much of the difference resulting from the visitors very good retention and ball protection that gave them two-thirds possession in that half while forcing Barnes to defend well.

Dry, bright, mostly overcast, cool and windy then much colder in the last quarter; the pitch soft.